All NHL preseason games through Sept. 30 were cancelled by the league today. That includes the Avalanche’s annual Burgundy-White game Sept. 24 (annual when there isn’t a moronic lockout every few years, that is).
Sorry Avs fans, but you will not see any of the team’s top young prospects playing around this area anytime soon, likely not at all this year.

Avs fans who already had bought plane tickets to see the Avs-Kings “Frozen Fury” game in Las Vegas this year too? Well, you’re out of luck. Hopefully, you’ll find some at the slot machines if you’re still going. But you will not see the hockey game slated for Sept. 29 at the MGM Grand. That game is gone too.

Here is the email that went out to Avalanche season-ticket holders this morning, concerning its ticket policies should the NHL lockout continue to unfold:

“As you may already be aware, the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association have been working under a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that was adopted by all clubs in 2005. On Saturday, September 15, this agreement expired. Without an agreement in place, a work stoppage is now in effect for all NHL clubs. Both the league and the players association are committed to continue negotiations to develop a new CBA that is fair to the players and to the 30 NHL clubs.
Our fans, and especially our season ticket holders, are the most important members of our family and we strive to ensure that your monetary investment is protected. During labor negotiations the Colorado Avalanche organization has established the following options regarding payments made toward your 2012-2013 season tickets.
Option One: Fan First Protection Plan
. Money will be left on account and will accrue a 5% loyalty payment accruing in the manner of simple interest.
. Loyalty payments will begin to accrue on October 1, 2012 if an agreement is not reached.
. Loyalty payments accrued will be applied toward playoff tickets or next season’s renewal.
. At the conclusion of the work stoppage, accounts can opt to receive a refund check for excess principal on account, or apply this amount toward playoff tickets or next season’s renewal.
Option Two: Ticket Refund and Interest Plan
. Ticket and applicable parking credit will be issued in the form of a refund check. Checks will be issued in the name of the primary ticket holder on account and will be processed within 20 business days after each month of cancelled games.
. Refund checks will also include simple interest, calculated at an annual rate of 1% based on total funds on deposit.
. Interest will begin to accrue on October 1, 2012 if an agreement is not reached.
. Refunds will not be issued until the amount of funds on an account exceeds the balance of games that can be played. However, interest on these funds will accrue as outlined above.

Selections must be made by Friday September 28th, 2012. Season ticket holders who do not select an option will automatically be given Option One. Regardless of which option you select, your seat location and priority number will remain intact. Should you have questions about these options, please call your Season Ticket Services representative, Ross Jenner at (303) 405-1369.
It is the goal of all involved that an agreement on terms of a new CBA will be reached in a timely manner. As a Season Ticket Holder, we want to make you aware that plans are in place to protect your season ticket investment.
Thank you for your continued support of the Colorado Avalanche.”

– So basically, the Avalanche will pay a nice 5-percent interest rate to ticket holders to keep their money. Hey, that’s much better than I’m getting from my bank on my checking/savings accounts.
This is a better interest rate than some clubs are paying, but not all. Minnesota, for instance, is offering a whopping 10-percent rate to season-ticket holders to keep their money.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.

Chambers covers college and professional hockey for The Denver Post. He has written for the Post since 1994, after dumping his first 9-to-5 office job a couple years out of college. He primarily follows the University of Denver hockey team and helps cover the Avalanche.